The present invention relates to a method and a device for facilitating the handling of information in a virtual environment. In particular the present invention relates to storage and transmission of avatar information.
The development of Internet and other large computer networks has made it possible meet, play, work, and exchange information in a virtual environment instead of in the real world. In such a virtual environment users, which have entered the virtual world, can communicate with other users by means of an avatar.
An avatar is a character, which can move around in the virtual world and communicate and/or interact in the common context of the virtual world under control of a user. The virtual world or virtual reality (VR) can be generated by any suitable graphical code, such as Virtual Reality Modelling Language (VRML).
The avatar can usually be whatever the user desires, for example a cartoon, a fish, a three-dimensional picture of the user or any graphical element. To other users of the virtual world the avatar is the graphical representation of the character the user represents. The avatar is sent into the virtual world, when the user controlling the avatar logs on to the virtual world.
Another example of an avatar is a xe2x80x9ctalking headxe2x80x9d, i.e. a three-dimensional representation of a person""s head, which can move its lips in synchronisation with speech. Talking heads can be used to create an illusion of a visual interconnection, even though the connection used is a speech channel.
Furthermore, in xe2x80x9cShared Spacesxe2x80x9d, British Telecommunications Engineering, vol 15, July 1996, avatars for use in, e.g. telephone networks are described.
Also, in GSM 01.02, xe2x80x9cDigital cellular telecommunications system (Phase 2+); General description of a GSM Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN)xe2x80x9d, European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), Valbonne, France, 1996, GSM 02.17 (prETS 300 922). xe2x80x9cDigital cellular telecommunications system; Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Functional characteristicsxe2x80x9d, European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), Valbonne, France, 1996 and GSM 11.11 (ETS 300 977). xe2x80x9cDigital cellular telecommunications system (Phase 2+); xe2x80x9cSpecification of the Subscriber Identity Modulexe2x80x94Mobile Equipment (SIM-ME) interfacexe2x80x9d, European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), Valbonne, France, 1997. A GSM PLMN network and a SIM-card for use in a GSM system are described.
However, there is a problem of making the technique suitable for access of a virtual world from different access terminals. Thus, when logging on to the virtual world, information regarding the avatar must be sent from the access terminal to the virtual world in order for the avatar to appear in the virtual world. This information is today usually stored in a memory of the access terminal, so that when logging on to the virtual world information regarding the avatar is fetched from the memory of the access terminal and transmitted to the virtual world. Thus, the virtual world can only be accessed from certain, pre-selected, terminals in which the avatar information is stored.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the problem as set out above. This object is obtained by means of adding a new memory function in a removable memory card, such as a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) or a smart card and by integrating the information about the avatar in the card.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and a system whereby an avatar can be used in a mobile phone or a mobile communications terminal.
Thus, by storing information about the avatar characteristics for a user in a removable memory card, for example in a SIM card for the GSM system, the information regarding the avatar can be moved from one access terminal to another. The virtual world can then be accessed from many different access terminals by means of inserting the SIM card and entering a personal identity number (PIN) code.
The new added memory function, besides of making it possible to access a virtual world from different access terminals, also makes it possible to use avatars in new applications, such as in a GSM phone or another mobile phone or terminal.